Alistair

1. Clifton, I.D., Ellis, W. A. H., Melzer, A. and Tucker, G. (2007) Water turnover and the northern range of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Australian Mammalogy 29 85 – 88.

2. Ellis. W. A. H., Melzer, A., and Bercovitch, F. B. (2009) Spatiotemporal dynamics of habitat use by koalas: the checkerboard model. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 63(8) 1181-1188.

3. Melzer A., Carrick F., Menkhorst P., Lunney D. and St John B. (2000) Overview, critical assessment and conservation implications of koala distribution and abundance. Conservation Biology 14 (3) 619-628.

4. Melzer. A., Tucker, G., Hodgon, J. and Elliott, B. (2003) A note on predation on koalas Phascolarctos cinereus by raptors, including Wedge-tailed eagles Aquila audax, in Queensland. The Queensland Naturalist 41(1-3), 38-40.

5. Pfeiffer, A. Melzer, A., Tucker, G., Clifton, D. and Ellis, W. (2005) Tree use by koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) on St Bees Island, Queensland – report of a pilot study. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 112: 47-51.

6. Tucker, G., Melzer, A. and Ellis, W. (2007) The development of habitat selection by subadult koalas. Australian Journal of Zoology. 55 1-5.

See also on line:

Melzer, A. & Ellis, WAH (2008) Koala Research in ST Bees Island National Park; A case study of research informing park management. APAC08 Proceedings; Australian Protected Areas Congress 2008. 24-28 November 2008. Pp 172-174. http://www.asnevents.com.au/ap.....%20web.pdf

Our research results are being progressively, but slowely, published. I’ll place a list of publications on site soon. Post-graduate students Delma Clifton and Gail Tucker have submitted their theses and both have been accepted. Delma graduated earlier this year. Gail is currently adressing a few examiners comments and I would expect her to graduate later this year. Both have recently published a paper from their work too.

I will also post an update on the research program soon. Volunteer field activities have been adverely influenced by the financial problems and concern about travelling in a time of swine influenza. What ever happens we’re committed to keeping this longterm research program running.

This year has brought home the realisation of the terrible state koala populations are in across eastern Australia. The disasterous drought and cataestrophic fires in southern Australia devestated koala populations - along with all wildlife and people. we revisited sites in central Queensland and realised that drought over the last decade has resulted in the collapse of koala habitat and a dramatic collapse in regional koala numbers. Finally, the koala populations in southeastern Queensland have declined 50% over the last few years. On St Bees Island we have seen the death of some of the forest trees due to drought but no obvious decline in the koalas as yet.

It is all so depressing but we are having to learn to accept drastic change as our ecology adjusts to a period of unstable and, at times, extreme climate.

Currently, I think that the koala will survive but its distribution and abundance across Australia is going to look very different to that occurring now. Places like St Bees Island may well become important repositories for this species.

Alistair

My granddaughter and I were members of an Earthwatch trip to St Bees Island, I believe in February 2004. It was a wonderful experience! I was totally exhausted when I got home, but neither of us would have missed it for anything.

I have tried to check periodically for results of the project on the web. Are any interim reports or other materials available? Obviously, the final results will not be known until the project is completed, but I thought some components were due to be finished earlier and would like to know of any papers that have been released.

Elise

St Bees Island was a fantastic experience for me, and reading your blog has brought back a rush of amazing memories! I’ve shared the Pulse of the Planet links with fellow Earthwatch volunteers within Shell around the world.

Have you been back to the island since the very rainy late summer? What effects did that weather have on the koala population, if you know yet? Say hello to Steph for me, if she is still involved with the program!

Regards,

Andy Wellbaum

On St Bees Island we have encountered one definitive example of predation. In this case an eagle (probably a wedge-tailed eagle) took a small subadult koala that we (masters student Gail Tucker) were radio tracking. Bits of the animal were found in two different parts of the island - respectively identified by numbered ear tags and an active tadio transmitting collar. We have not encountered any other signs of predation in almost nine years of intensive monitoring. Potential predators (that is animals with the capacity to take a koala) are one very domestic dog (George mentioned by Thierry above) one pair of wedge-tailed eagles and one pair of sea eagles. So although an occasional animal may fall to predation it is unlikely that predation acts to control the population.

In general terms wild koalas are not sublect to significant predation levels unless they are living within urban or suburban situations. Here dog attack can have an impact causing death directly or subsequently as a consequence of wounds. This is particularly so where wandering koalas are trapped against fences or other constructed barriers.

Both Rita and Thierry refer to the possibility of introducing predators to control island populations - presumably refering to the management of the over abundant populations in southern Australia. Domestic dogs are already present on at least some of these islands.

There are two points to consider here. Firstly, the koala’s ecology living in the tree canopy effectively protects most animals most of the time from ground based and flying predators. Secondly, given that predation is unlikey to control a population but is likely to harm individual animals such management action could be seen as inflicting unnecessary harm and could be seen as unethical.

Some people have suggested introducing pathogenic disease to achieve population control - but again ethical and animal welfare matters arise. Any benifit to the species’ conservation must be argued against the ethical and welfare issues.

Finally, over the last nine years we’ve never seen George leave the area of the island camp and would probably require a koala to wander past the food bowl before responding. I’ll see if I can find a photo of the beast.

regards

Alistair Melzer

A story on last night’s NPR ATC, “Studying a Koala Mystery in Eastern Australia” was the first of a new series from Jim Metzner (Pulse of the Planet). The series Science Diaries puts recorders, and a blog, in the hands of scientists &…